Colson Track @ ExplorOz

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Colson Track

Submitted: Monday, Sep 01, 2003 at 22:46

Richard

Does anyone know anything about the Colson Track, i.e. is it open etc

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ThreadID: 6973	Replies: 4
Views: 509	FollowUps: 4
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AnswerID: 29836 Submitted: Monday, Sep 01, 2003 at 23:06

Jol from Direct Four WD Awareness replied:

I know lots about the Colson Track. It is NOT open, you can try to get a permit at the CLC but good luck. I have been working on it for years to no avail. Instead we have moved over to the Hay River and opened it up. Give me a ring 088952 3359 for more info.
i do not suggest you do it alone

Cheers Jol Fleming

Reply 1 of 4

AnswerID: 29878 Submitted: Tuesday, Sep 02, 2003 at 12:47

Member - Bob replied:

Richard, we were lucky enough to get a permit for Easter last year. It took a lot (months) of direct liaison with individual staff in the CLC, notably one of the anthropologists who had to speak directly with the traditional owners. Apparently someone went there a few years back and desecrated a sacred site. No wonder they are reluctant to let more people in. We travelled from Alice Springs south and hit the French Line and turned right. There was a jar with several messages in it but no evidence of recent traffic. There were fresh tracks along the Madigan line (which crosses the Colson).Bob

Reply 2 of 4

AnswerID: 29891 Submitted: Tuesday, Sep 02, 2003 at 14:43

Willie replied:

Apart from a good show of wildflowers when we drove the Colson some 10 years ago the trek was a tad boring as one drives in the dune corridor.

At this stage the track crosses a small portion of Aboriginal land and this thing with permits and the Central Lands Council is just a power-play game. None of the traditional owners lived anywhere near their land( at the time when this land was granted..I am not sure of the situation these days). Getting permits is a thing that really pisses me off and I tend to want to go direct to the traditional owners and ask them for permission if I feel that it is justified. Vast tracts of OUR country is tied up with a no go, no use mentality, while blackfellas carry on with their cultural slide in the towns of Australia.

And yes, before you accuse me of being a racist, I have black ancestors.
Cheers,
Willie
Never a dull moment

Reply 3 of 4

FollowupID: 20962 Submitted: Tuesday, Sep 02, 2003 at 18:10

squiz posted:

Why are some Australians more Australian then others

FollowUp 1 of 4

FollowupID: 20964 Submitted: Tuesday, Sep 02, 2003 at 18:21

Member -BJ (Sydney) posted:

Because we all feel guilty for what our ancestors did & think money will fix it , IT WON'T.Regards Bob
Where to next

FollowUp 2 of 4

FollowupID: 20969 Submitted: Tuesday, Sep 02, 2003 at 18:58

Phil G posted:

Aboriginal land often requires permits. But white man's land is usually called "private property" and usually no permits are allowed.

Same difference in my opinion.

FollowUp 3 of 4

FollowupID: 21065 Submitted: Wednesday, Sep 03, 2003 at 12:52

Member - Bob posted:

Phil I agree with you. Huge tracts of land are designated pastoral leases and you just can't go there. Often driving around a pastoral lease means 100s of kms further than the track running across the lease. I agree that it would be inappropriate to have free access to all pastoral land, but I'm talking about huge swathes of outback Oz where no-one lives, and the land is unimproved bush. There is nothing more depressing than driving through outback NSW and the road is lined for 100s of kms with barbed wire. With a bit of forethought there should have been open land areas along the highways, and wide public access corridors. Instead its just wall to wall private property. Bob

FollowUp 4 of 4

AnswerID: 30030 Submitted: Wednesday, Sep 03, 2003 at 20:02